I. Field of the Invention
Crossbows are generally known as medieval weapons from which arrows or stones are fired and which include a bow typically fixed transversely on a stock.
II. Description of Related Art
U S. Pat. No. 4,258,469 to Barnett discloses a crossbow including a one-piece, flexible bow prod secured to a stock. The stock includes a butt, pivotally connected with a fore end portion of the stock, by which the crossbow can be cocked. When the bow is to be cocked, the butt is pivoted about an axis and hooks which are connected to the butt engage the string of the crossbow and draw the string rearwardly along the upper surface of the crossbow towards a catch located at a rearward portion of the crossbow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,117 to Waiser discloses a crossbow including a bow prod with two symmetrical halves mounted on symmetrical mounts. The bow prod mounts are pivotally mounted on a fore end portion of a crossbow stock and are connected to a movable slide. When the crossbow is being cocked, as one of the mounts is turned clockwise by a certain angle, the other is turned counter clockwise by the same angle, to increase the distance between the ends of the bow prod halves to which the bow string is attached and to thereby increase bow prod tension for shooting.
Each of the above crossbow devices could be considered cumbersome to transport and are usable by an operator in only one operating, or firing, position. Additionally, neither of these patents discloses means to significantly aid an operator in aiming the crossbow towards a target.
It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a crossbow which is easy to transport and which may be fired in one of several positions. The crossbow thus includes main and secondary stocks which can be moved between collapsed and extended positions, and prod members which can be moved relative to the main stock between inoperative and operative positions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sight which significantly aids an operator in aiming the crossbow at a target and yet which allows an arrow to be easily loaded onto the crossbow.